Pin



Sept. 10, 1957 W. W. PATTERSON PIN Filed April 25, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

PIN Woodrow Wilson Patterson, Nashville, Tenn. Application April 25, 1956, Serial No. 580,532 4 Claims. (Cl. 24157) This invention relates to safety pins.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety pin which will automatically lock itself after being opened.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a safety pin of the above type which cannot be accidentally opened, thereby reducing hazardous opportunities, particularly where children are concerned.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a safety pin bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and effective in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a. perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in the normal closed position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. v3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the pin open and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a safety pin includes a continuous length of wire having the lower horizontal portion which terminates at one end in the usual point 11 and is integrally formed at the other end at right angles thereto with the end portion 12, substantially as illustrated. The end portion 12 adjacent the horizontal portion 10 is integrally formed with the rectangular tab 13 which serves to prevent the garment from sliding :beyond the inner end of the horizontal portion 1-9 and which also serves to reinforce the position of the end portion 12 relative to the horizontal portion 10 and to prevent their being distorted relative to each other. The upper end of the end portion is integrally formed with the horizontal portion 14 which extends parallel to the horizontal portion 10 and which is integrally formed at its other end above the point 11 in the depending loop portion 15. It will be noted that the side of the depending portion 15 adjacent the horizontal portion 14 is straight and forms therewith a right angle shoulder for a purpose which will hereinafter become clear. The other end of the loop portion 15 is integrally formed with the horizontal straight portion 16 which terminates in the loop 17, which may be open as shown in Figure 1 or closed as shown at 17 in Figures 2 and 3.

A hollow cylindrical sleeve 18 surrounds the horizontal portion 14 near the depressed portion 15, the outer end of the sleeve 18 being open at the top and integrally formed with the upwardly extending laterally spaced lugs or ears 19. A pin 29 pierces the lugs 13, the opposite ends thereof being peened so as to limit their displacement through the lugs (Fig. 4).

A shield or closure member is provided and includes the side walls 21 connected at their lower ends by the bottom wall 22 and at their outer ends by the end wall 23.

Patented Sept. 10, 1957 ice The other edges of the sides 21 near their upper portion or end are integrally formed with the inwardly extending ears 24 which are aligned with the lugs or ears 19 and which receive therethrough the pin 20 whereby to rotatably mount the shield on the end of the sleeve 18 and to permit its closing movement in a counter clockwise direction onto the point 11. The side 'walls 21 extend upwardly above the ears 24 and are pierced by a second pin 25. An inwardlyand downwardly bent lug 26 (Fig. 1) is integrally formed at the upper end of one of the side walls 21 and receives thereunder the end 27 of a coil spring 28 which sleeves the pin 20 intermmate the lugs 19, the other end of the spring being received within the sleeve 13 whereby to normally urge the shield into the closed position of Fig. 2.

The :outer end of the sleeve 18 is integrally formed with the L-shaped extension 29, the lower end of which is received within the downwardly bent portion 15 whereby to limit the upward displacement of the wire portion 16 and loop 17 under normal tension' The end wall 23 is formed with an opening 31 through which the wire portion 16 passes.

A third pin 32 pierces the side walls 21 above the bottom wall 22 and is adapted to receive thereunder the point 11. The opening 31 is sufficiently large to permit the loop 17 to pass therethrough when the latter is pressed upwardly and to permit the upward movement of the shield to its normal open position (Fig.3). However, upon release of the shield, it will automatically close under the action of the spring 28, the loop 17 passing outwardly through the opening into the locking position.

In operation, the spring 28 will normally rotate the shield in a counter clockwise direction in the closed position of Fig. 2 with the point 11 being received between the bottom wall 22 and the keeper or pin 32. Opening movement of the shield will be prevented by the abutment of the loop 17 with the end wall 23 below the opening 31, the loop 17 being retained in the locking position by its own resilience and the depending portion 29. Thus, the pin cannot .accidentally be opened and will automatically close. In order to open the pin, it will be necessary to move the looped portion 17 upwardly against its own spring tension to thus release the loop 17 from the end wall 23. The shield may then be forcibly opened against the tension of spring 28 and held in an open position until the garment has been pierced and placed on the horizontal portion 10. Release of the shield will automatically close the pin, with the loop 17 passing upwardly through the opening 31 as the shield returns to the closed position.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a general purpose safety-type household pin that will be strong, easy and simple to use, and far safer than conventional safety pins especially where children are concerned. This pin can be operated with more safety and convenience in the dark, because when opened it will automatically close and lock itself completely once the shield is released and it cannot thus be opened accidentally. The pin may be opened either by using one hand, if desired, or with the use of both hands. Once the shield is opened back, it must be held back until the pin is fully inserted into the garment whereupon the shield is released and the pin is closed automatically. By grasping the pin at the horizontal portion 14 and with the third finger, and at the same time pushing the shield upwardly in a clockwise direction with the thumb, the loop 17 will pass inwardly through the opening 31 as the shield is pulled back by applying pressure near the top end thereof. This permits the shield to be pulled back towards the horizontal portion 14 until the opening is clear of the loop 17 so that the garment can be brought within the garment area of the pin. When the shield is pushed all the way back to the open position, the pin does not spread apart unless pressure is allowed to be applied to make it do so. The pin 25 will limit the downward movement of the shield, as will be obvious. The keeper or pin 32 will prevent the point 11 from being pushed too far towards the sleeve 18. After the shield is pulled all the Way back, the wire portion of the pin can be spread open for convenience, as it will spring back in shape when pressure is released.

Instead of providing a pin32, the opposite sides 21 may be struck inwardly to form a stop.

It will al'so be noted that when the shield returns to the closed position under the action :of spring 28 the loop 17 will normally snap into the locking position of Fig. 2 and that the 'pin cannot then be opened again :until the loop 17 has first been pressed upwardly.

While va ious changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A safety pin comprising a substantially U-shaped length of spring Wire having a point at one end adapted to pierce the garment, a shield adapted to bridge the free ends of the pin, means rotatably mounting said shield on the other end of the wire, spring means for retaining said shield in the closed position, and locking means releasable manually for retaining said shield in the closed position to prevent it from accidentally opening, said locking means being adapted to permit the automatic closing of said shield after being opened, said shield comprising a pair of side walls, a bottom Wall and an outer end wall, the top and inner ends of said shield being open to permit its rotational movement against said point, said means rotatably mounting said shield on the other end of the wire comprising said'side walls near the upper ends thereof at their inner edges being integrally formed with inwardly extending laterally spaced lugs, a sleeve surrounding the other end of said wire remote from said point, the outer end of said sleeve being open at the top and being integrally formed thereat with a pair of upwardly extending, laterally spaced lugs adapted to fit within said shield lugs, pin means piercing said lugs whereby to rotatably mount said shield thereon.

2. A safety pin according to claim 1, said spring means for retaining said shield in the closed position comprising a coil spring sleeving said pin means intermediate said lugs with one end of said coil spring being received within said sleeve, and an inwardly and downwardly bent lug integrally formed at the upper end of one of said side walls receiving thereunder the other end of said coil spring.

3. A safety pin according to claim 2, said releasable locking means comprising the end of said wire remote from said point outwardly of said sleeve being integrally formed with a downwardly bent portion and continuing outwardly in a straight portion aligned longitudinally with said other end and terminating in an enlarged loop, the outer end of said sleeve .being formed with an L- shaped member adapted to be received within said downwardly bent portion and to limit its upward displacement the end wall of said shield having an opening adapted to receive said loop therethrough when the latter is pressed upwardly, said loop engaging said end wall below said opening under normal'tension to prevent outward movement of'saidshield about said pin means.

4. A' safety pin according to claim 3, including a second pin piercing said side walls above said L-shaped extension and adapted to limit the movement of said shield in a counter clockwise direction and third pin piercing saidside walls near their lower ends to provide a keeper for the point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

